Philippines Travel

It’s easy to see Manila as a city of bumper-to-bumper cars in rush hour and overlook the pockets of charm that it exudes when the monsoon rains come. But look past its urban trappings and the vagaries of weather to experience the city’s character that provides an apt introduction to …

It used to be that getting to the (now world-famous) Puerto Princesa Underground River was a straightforward business. You walk into the tourism office onsite, you pay the entrance fee, you get in, you get out. And you enjoy the entire experience. Now, you are likely to be turned away …

Consider these numbers for a Philippine province: 1,780 islands (out of the country’s more than 7,000); 52 living dialects and languages (of the more than 120 in the Philippines); 279 bird species, 27 endemic to the country. There is also that 2,000 kilometers of coastline and two UNESCO World Heritage …

The number 7,000 (islands) figures prominently every time any article about the Philippines is written, and for good reason. The country is archipelagic, and it pays to toot one’s own horn and flaunt statistics, especially if it serves the purpose of attracting curious travelers. Not all tourists coming to the …

If you feel like bungee jumping is too much of a risk but would like to be like Superman for the moment, what other activity could you engage in to slake your thirst for adventure? There are actually several: hang gliding, parasailing and ziplining are a few. Of the three, …

Mangroves enchant me in the same way underwater worlds do. They appeal to my sense of wonderment that I cannot quite verbalize, as if some primeval part of me responds to the shrill cries kingfishers make as they flit from tree to tree. Everytime I find myself in a mangrove …

It’s quite a steep challenge to compile a list of 10 of the best places to visit in the Philippines when there are practically thousands of others to consider. But like destinations the world over that have earned renown, these places – both emerging and well-established tourist attractions – deserve …

Filipinos are renowned for their jovial spirit, warmth and hospitality, and willingness to go the extra mile to make a visitor’s stay pleasant and memorable. But sometimes a fine line is crossed between being genuinely helpful and overly eager. An American found this the hard way and was shocked that …

As the northernmost province of the Philippines, Batanes is relatively a newcomer in the country’s tourist scene. It is so physically and culturally removed from the rest of the Philippine archipelago that it has a culture – and landscape – not quite Filipino. It is only 190 kilometers south of …

You see it in magazines, postcards and travel brochures: powdery white sand, the bluest of skies, and the clearest of waters. In the Philippines, that tropical dreamland can be anywhere. But Boracay has a special allure because it lives up to the hype. Filipinos are divided as to whether Boracay …

An archipelagic country like the Philippines never runs short of beaches that inspire a litany of praises and attract droves of tourists. The top 10 beaches in the Philippines listed below are by far the best ‘discovered’ summer magnets, and are considered as such because the beaches are naturally beautiful …

The capital of the Philippines – Manila – is built on an ancient kingdom that had diplomatic relations with Ming Dynasty (China) until the Spaniards arrived in the 16th century and fortified an existing settlement on the edge of the Pasig River and Manila Bay. This walled city is the …